Pedals based on SD-1?

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glpg80

glpg80

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What are some pedals that exist which are improvements designed by others? Better opamps, lower noise, more features, more dB headroom, etc? I just don’t know enough about pedals to begin looking. Just want something that’s a massive improvement over a newer SMT version I have.
 
There used to be a guy in Georgia that had a company called SRB. He uses all top notch components and you could pick the standard 4558 chips or the hi fi Burr Brown chips and sockets for the chips. His pedals just had a nice clarity, dynamics that interacted with the amps very nicely. These were called the OD808 plus pedals that had three modes, Maxon OD808 symmetrical clipping/ Boss SD-1 asymmetrical clipping, no clipping diodes. They had symmetrical/asymmetrical clipping or none three way switch and a fat switch. His original pedals were 25% more gain than stock then he tweaked his later models to twice the gain over stock but I always prefered the 25% more gain and I never needed twice gain over stock. All of his pedals were traditional analog components on PCB no SMD construction.

Out of all the SD-1/OD-1 pedals these pedals that I have the SRB always dethroned just about every other OD pedal that I have tried out over the years from Real Boss OD-1's, boutique Taxi Driver OD-1's to Doug Aldrich Rocket Fuel, to the Atomic Overdrive. The only pedal out there that I kept around was the Maxon OD808 reissue pedal which just had something that the SRB didn't fully capture, the Maxon just worked. I haven't found anything since that I like better. I'm not saying something doesn't exist but I cycled alot of pedals against the SRB and it has always delivered.
 
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Nichicon Electro's .... Kemet Film caps .... True by pass ...... and I socket the IC ..... so you could swap out any Dual op amp to try with out a hassle
 
I think of the SD1 and TS as pretty much the same, except for the clipping. The SD1 may have higher mids, TS lower or thicker mids. But they're essentially very close.

Zakk Wylde drive.
Fulltone Fulldrive is a good one. There are different versions. I have the FD2 non mosfet.
I also have the SD1, Demon Fx TS clone, and have had lots of other TS/SD1 type pedals.
The Way Huge Green Rhino is a good one, lets you dial in the bass and mid range frequency.
 
LPMojoGL said:
I think of the SD1 and TS as pretty much the same, except for the clipping. The SD1 may have higher mids, TS lower or thicker mids. But they're essentially very close.

Zakk Wylde drive.
Fulltone Fulldrive is a good one. There are different versions. I have the FD2 non mosfet.
I also have the SD1, Demon Fx TS clone, and have had lots of other TS/SD1 type pedals.
The Way Huge Green Rhino is a good one, lets you dial in the bass and mid range frequency.
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I have a tubescreamer and the mxr77 on my board, and especially with the mxr77 in its normal sd-1 mode, you can’t even dial them in to sound the same. If you hit the mid boost mode on the mxr77 they get closer but it’s still pretty different. I pretty much just use the mxr77 with my 2204 but I use the tubescreamer with just about anything else.

If you already have a tubescreamer, it’s still worth it to try an SD-1 or derivative, especially if you have a Marshall.
 
SpiderWars said:
Griffin SuperDrive. True Bypass SD1 clone with better components. Kicked my SD1 off the board right fast.
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My mij sd1 was the best sounding boost i ever heard until I got my griffin. Coincidentally, if anyone needs a mij sd1 from the 80s, let me know
 

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what's wrong with a Boss SD-1? :dunno:

When I used pedals, if Boss or EHX made something, I'd use it.

I did get sidetracked by the TCE Nova Series, I have every Nova pedal, a Nova System, and I had a G-System (now gone).

That said, Boss needs a better Fuzz, IMO.
 
rsm said:
That said, Boss needs a better Fuzz, IMO.
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I got the FZ-2, FZ-3 and FZ-5.
The FZ-2 is a great boost too...but too many people know that already (...>> $$$)
FZ-3 is quite fun and sludgy, but needs more output.
 
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Speeddemon said:
I got the FZ-2, FZ-3 and FZ-5.
The FZ-2 is a great boost too...but too many people know that already (...>> $$$)
FZ-3 is quite fun and sludgy, but needs more output.
Click to expand...
Been awhile since I was deep into fuzz (Zvex Fuzz Factory was my fav), I also liked and still have the EHX BMPwTW, but the fuzz face is my favorite fuzz; I may need to revisit Boss, FZ-1W for example...
 
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